New CCTV to target ‘disgusting criminal behaviour’ and stop locals paying the price

Sefton Council has confirmed that it will roll out a pilot scheme of surveillance cameras, aiming to deter potential fly-tippers and gather the necessary evidence to prosecute those who continue to blight its communities.

During November, Sefton Council’s street cleansing management has been supporting and promoting the new Keep Britain Tidy (KBT) campaign (November 2025), aimed at combating fly tipping. The local authority said its relationship with KBT is key to its own ambition of improving the cleanliness of the borough, and was recently awarded a £27,500 grant for new chewing gum removal machinery.

In a Facebook post to mark its work with KBT, the council confirmed it spent £366,000 of taxpayers’ money clearing up dumped rubbish, adding: “Fly-tipping isn’t just ugly, it’s expensive. Across the country, the bill comes to over £100 million, money that could be spent on schools, parks and libraries.

“Every time rubbish is dumped illegally, it’s our local communities that ultimately pay the price.”

The issue of fly tipping was on the agenda of an Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting last night (November 18), where the cabinet member for cleansing and street scene, Cllr Peter Harvey provided some updates on how the council is tackling the problem.

The LDRS has reported on several incidents of fly tipping in south Sefton, including the illegal dumping of countless heavy duty items – fridges, couches, sofas, mattresses, building materials – dumped onto people’s streets and cast into entries.

Fly-tipping or the illegal disposal of household, industrial, commercial or other waste is a serious criminal offence and costs local authorities tens of millions of pounds. Figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs show there were 3,903 fly-tipping incidents in Sefton in 2023.

Referring to those individuals who continue to blight areas such as Bootle with dumped rubbish, Cllr Harvey said: “If we don’t deter them, we’ll catch them red handed and ultimately, we will prosecute them.

“It shows that we’re up for the fight when it comes to fly tipping, and we’re all fed up with it. Britain is fed up with fly tippers.

“Certainly here in Sefton, we’re fed up with fly tipping and the resources that it’s taking up, particularly the cost. We estimate it’s around £350,000 a year spent on clearing streets or alleys of fly tipping.

“It’s selfish, disgusting, criminal behaviour. We shouldn’t have to be spending that money on fly tipping, and that money could and should be spent on far better things.”

Responding to the report, a Sefton Council officer said: “Residents do want the areas cleared and to that end, I am currently engaging with our partners in the probation service around the potential utilisation of community sentencing hours under the community payback teams.”

Something which has already been signed off, is the roll out of surveillance cameras, designed to target those who are fly tipping and allow the council to collect evidence for prosecution. The council confirmed they are rolling out the pilot scheme which should be fully operational by the end of the month.

Cllr Harvey said he understands the need for the CCTV pilot, but is generally supportive of the project, adding: “We do have to have this approach, even though, instinctively and politically, I would love to flood the area with cameras to deter fly tipping and other crimes and catch people red handed. But we do have to approach with caution.”